3 January 2008

Nokia N82 -:- User Review

Now continuing on from page 1, i will talk about the keys of the Nokia N82. The very first time i saw the N82 with the different style of keys, i was very sceptical about it to be honest, as I've just said on page 1, i do prefer the larger keys, But i was very surprised, the first time i actually used the device to type some text input i just couldn't believe how easy and nice the keys were to type with, quite shocked actually. They do work very very well, some people may disagree with me, but i find the keys extremely nice to use.

Nokia N82 Keypad

The biggest issue i noticed was the fact that Nokia have taken away the pencil key (or edit key as known by some people) as you can see in the small image above, the pencil is no longer with us i never realised how much i actually used this, until it was gone, making my everyday symbian use very difficult without the pencil key. Things like taking a simple screenshot, or marking a number of different files to be sent all at once via BT or email in a file managment application like X-Plore, simply become impossible, or extremly difficult.

My favourite screen capture application (Screenshot v2.80 by Antony Pranata) become very difficult to use without the pencil key. There is settings to change the key combination to use to trigger the screen capture, but most of them use the pencil key, exept for the camera key which didnt actually work on the Nokia N82, but does work on N95 for screen capture with this application, and there is option to use the C key for the screen capture trigger, but this also caused many problem for me. If i wanted to take screenshot in x-plore, of course it would ask me if i was sure i wanted to delete this file, and then take the screenshot of this window. And this would be the resulting screenshot in such a scenorio.

Screenshot result from using the C key for trigger on Nokia N82

Nokia did however replace a similar functioning key, which is now shared with the “#“ (hash) key, but it just isn't the same as the good old pencil key in my opinion. And doesnt work the same either, for same reason as i said above, in applications it just doesnt work as most applications allready have a function maped with the hash key. So this was quite a dissapointment to find the great pencil key removed, i dont know why Nokia decided to remove it, but im sure they must have there reasons.

*click to enlarge

I also have to admit, the Nokia N95 d-pad is much better to the N82 d-pad in my opinion. It just feels more controllable on the N95 and i do much prefer the center press, or often refered to as the "Ok" key on Nokia s60 devices. I found sometimes on the N82 d-pad, that when wanting to press the Ok (or center d-pad) i was often going up or down or to the side before pressing the ok button, therfor often opening the wrong application or making the incorrect selection. But with the Nokia N95, you simply cant make such an error due to the great center raised up middle d-pad button, and the N82's d-pad is one flat button, as you can see from the images above. Im not impressed with the N82 d-pad not at all

N82 media key position Click to enlarge image

Another problem i found in the Nokia N82 keypad was the position of the media key. As it is in the middle of two buttons, the right soft key, and the C (delete) key and quite close together as can be seen on image to the left.

I did find myself pressing the media key by mistake a lot of times. Example, if i wanted to press the right soft key, or the C button i often found myself within the new multi media menu, as the media button is raised above the soft key same type of button as the number buttons, like sony ericson style buttons. I didnt however find this problem on the devices that i had a brief look at when i was in amsterdam at Nokia world 2007, so it could be that just this 1 device i have for trial has the more sensative media key. I also just like to note that the normal Nokia unlock keys are used as on all candy bar Nokia devices. The left soft key and the * (star) locks the keys, where as the left and right soft keys lock the N95 keys, it took me a while to stop pressing both soft keys to try to unlock it, lol.

I also noticed some changes in the text messaging UI which is related to the removal of the pencil key. When you type a new sms on the N82 and need to enter in a symbol, you press the “*” (star) key to bring up the symbol selection box and select your required symbol, right? wrong, what happens now is you are presented with the same menu as what would come up on the N95 if you pressed the pencil key (or any other Nokia symbian device with a pencil key)

Nokia N82 screen from pressing the star during sms typing	Nokia N95 screen from pressing the star during sms typing

To call up the full list of symbols on the Nokia N82, you must now press the "*" (star) key then go down on the menu to select the "more symbols" option which will then give you the symbol selection box. which in my opinion is just another unnecessary key press, it does however remember the last 8 symbols you recently used on the top line of the menu, same as the N95, only there is not the full symbol layout box we are all so used to seeing upon pressing the “*” (star) key. But it isn't no big deal really, and took me matter of few sms messages to get used to it. its just an extra key press if you need a symbol that you haven't recently used.

UPDATE:
With thanx to member blesio from our forum section, he found that simply holding the star (*) key down whilst typing your SMS brings up the full window of symbols on the n82 as seen in the 2nd n95 screenshot above..

Unfortunatly, my overall view of the Nokia N82 keypad, isnt that great, and not as user friendly as the Nokia 95's keypad is due to the reasons mentioed on this page, however, i did very much like the 12 Sony Ericson style number buttons, these are actually very surprisingly nice and easy to type input with, such as text messaging, or email writing, or basically any input at all which requires these 12 buttons. But for me, unfortuanlty this isnt enough to balance the other flaws in the other keys, like the missing the pencil key, and the d-pad. I personally prefer the Nokia N95 keypad, but if the N82 had same d-pad as N95 and of course a pencil key, and maybe a different position for the media key, then it would be just perfect for me.

The side keys on the Nokia N82 are far superior to that of the ones on the Nokia N95. I allways find myself accidently pressing that annoying gallery key on the N95 which simply drives me insane, as i never use the defualt gallery, i am going to find a way to disable this gallery key on my N95 completly. Very disapointed that this key isnt able to re map it to a more usefull application, or better still, a setting to disable the stupid thing all together would of been great.

Nokia N82 side keys, Click To Enlarge.

However, this is not a issue on the Nokia N82, as the side buttons are much much more stiffer and not so sensitive to press, you really need to press these buttons with a firm press to make them work, which i like very very much, as you can actually pick the device up and hold in your hand without the fear of opening the gallery application by mistake, like what i seem to do all the time with my Nokia N95. I'm quite sure all you N95 owners know exactly what im talking about with this, the N95 side keys, in paticular the gallery key, is just far to sensitive to the touch, with just a very very light touch will activate the key press and fire up the gallery application, but like i said, it seems Nokia was aware of this issue, and have done a great job on fixing it with the Nokia N82 side keys.

The side keys on the N82 are more embedded into the actual side of the device, making them level or very slightly indented in the device, which makes them harder for the owner to make mistaken key press with them by simply picking the device up and holding it in the hand, wheras the Nokia N95 side keys are slightly raised out from the side of the device, and much easier to press making them much easier to make a mistaken key press and fire up the gallery application when you dont want to. The Nokia N82 wins hands down on the side keys, the camera shutter key, gallery key and of course the volume keys are a completly different style of button, and much better than the N95 side keys.

Click to enlarge image	Click to enlarge image

The SDHC micro sd card slot are very simeler between the both devices, both having the same door that opens and is on a rubber hinge, which is good i think, as rubber doesnt break or snap as easy as what a metal or hard plastic hinge would.

Another thing that bothers me about the Nokia N82, is the changing of USB port, as now i need yet another cable connected to my home computer, which by the way, has plenty of cables already, i dont need or want another one that does exactly the same thing as the mini usb port does. There is no difference between MINI USB and MICRO USB, the only difference being is that there not compatible with each other, meaning you need a seperate cable for each device that hosts a MINI or MICRO USB port. I tested them both, and i tranfer a 100MB file to the Nokia N95 which has the normal MINI USB and the Nokia N82 which has the new MICRO USB, and time it took to complete transfer to and from my home computer, was exactly the same by the mili second, no faster or slower than each other.

So i am quite annoyed about this, as i have a lots of different hardware componants that all have the good old standard MINI USB, and i use the same cable to use all of these devices when i need them, but now i need another one to use the N82. I just cant understand why Nokia would change this usb port, and i would like to shoot the person who thought it to be a good idea to make yet another USB port that has no benifits but just a smaller size socket and smaller connector. I thought Nokia was all about "1 lead fits all" as one of the speakers (cant remember which one) at Nokia world 2007 said so, in releation to the Nokia charger. 1 size fits all, all the Nokia Bluetooth headsets and all the "newer" Nokia devices can be charged using just the one charger. But no longer can we access our devices media using the same USB cable, we now must use a micro USB. Im all out of USB ports on my PC now, thanx Nokia..

.:[ Nokia N82 - Technical Specifications ]:.